“razor-sharp reactions to a constantly shifting musical landscape… delivered in spades.” – bebop spoken here

Born and raised in Saltburn, north-east England, John has spent time In Leeds, Washington DC and now London. His musicality and versatility have led to a diverse portfolio including jazz, funk, big bands, pit orchestras, pop, and avant-garde. First an electric-bass specialist, he now fully embraces the double bass too, earning a scholarship to the Master’s course at the Royal Academy of Music.

His originals project, a chordless quartet/trio including Jay Davis, Alexandra Ridout, and Alex Hitchcock, explores an angular, playful and ruthlessly melodic sound world, drawing on influences such as Konitz, Haden and Mingus.

Among many more, John has played alongside Jason Brown, Trevor Mires, Nathaniel Cross, Sam Leak, Pat Levett, Hugh Wilkinson, Rod Youngs, Alex Garnett, Gene Calderazzo, Jo Harrop, Hannes Riepler, Helena Kay, John Turville, Pete Horsfall, Jonny Mansfield, Nick Costley-White, Matt Anderson, Nat Steele, Rachael Cohen, Riley Stone-Lonergan, Sam Braysher, Louise Messenger, Tom Green and Will Arnold-Forster.

In Washington DC John was house bassist for the prestigious Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra led by Joe Herrera and Brad Linde, performing rep concerts under Miho Hazama and Nathan Parker Smith. He recorded twice for Linde’s avant-garde/Americana project Team Players with Billy Wolfe, Aaron Quinn and Deric Dickens, and played regularly alongside David McDonald (Airmen of Note), Kevin McDonald (US Navy Commodores), Marty Nau, Anthony Pirog, among others. In Leeds, he was bassist and MD for the Leeds University Union Big Band, including performances at the North Sea Jazz Festival and on ITV, and performed with musicians such as Steve Hanley, Martin Longhawn and Ben Lowman.

John is an endorsing artist for Nordstrand Audio‘s electric basses, uses Aguilar and Genzler amps and cabs, and has been kindly supported by a postgraduate award from Help Musicians. He uses and endorses Hyperoptic broadband in his explorations of online real-time audio. John is often asked to assemble bands for functions or parties in London and further afield — click here for more information.

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